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Saturday, January 11, 2014

Got a Cold? Here Are a Few Ways to Feel Better Soon

According to the National Library of Medicine, Americans get
over one billion (yes, you read that right, with a “b”) colds every year. And
although colds and cold weather are not necessarily synonymous, right now is
the height of cold season, so it seems appropriate to take a closer look at the
common cold and see what we can do to stem the spread of the highly infectious
disease, and to help those who are suffering from a cold feel better soon.

For some general information about colds, check out this page from the National Library of Medicine, as well as this one from the
American Lung Association. Keep in mind that even if you are sneezing,
coughing, stuffed up, or suffering from a runny nose, it may not actually be a
cold — the common cold can look an awful lot like an allergy, or even the flu.
Check out these handy tables from the National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases to help figure out what you might be dealing with.

As they say, there is no cure for the common cold. But that
doesn’t mean you can’t treat it. Here’s a list of ways you can help alleviate
suffering from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. If
you’re looking at trying some home remedies, the National Center for
Complementary and Alternative Medicine has a couple of pages in which they
assess different treatments, here and here.

Or perhaps you’re thinking that a
good ol’ antibiotic might be able to wipe it out for you. Not necessarily, as colds
generally are caused by viruses, which aren’t responsive to antibiotic
treatment. Check out this article from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention to help determine if antibiotics will help whatever bug you’re
fighting.

After all this, perhaps you’re one of the lucky ones that
hasn’t caught a cold yet. If so, congratulations! And here’s a list of ways to
avoid getting and spreading the disease.

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The Good Health Blog Spot is the online portion of St. Louis Public Library's Good Health Spot, which aims to provide clear, accurate information about consumer health issues. Pamphlets on several topics are available at kiosks at Central Library, and at the Buder, Carpenter, Julia Davis, and Schlafly branches throughout St. Louis. For locations and hours for these branches, click here.

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